By Katherine Jamtgaard. FOLEY, Ala. — The App State men’s cross country team clinched back-to-back Sun Belt team titles while the women’s squad capped a sweep by securing its first team title since 2018 at the Sun Belt Cross Country Championships on Friday.
It was the first time that the Mountaineers have swept both titles in the program’s Sun Belt era. App State previously swept both league titles in 2012 as a member of the Southern Conference.
“I am extremely proud of the coaches and the team,” App State director of track & field/cross country Damion McLean said. “They have worked hard to get to this point and our coaches prepared the women and men properly for success.”
MEN’S RECAP
With five scoring runners crossing consecutively in the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth spots, the men’s squad repeated as the league champion by totaling 30 points, two points more than last year’s total of 28 (the lowest total at the Sun Belt Championships since 2013). It was the first time since the program’s six consecutive SoCon titles (from 2005 to 2010) that the App State men have recorded back-to-back titles. Six Mountaineers finished in the top 10 of Friday’s 8K race to garner all-conference honors.
We faced a lot of challenges this season, including a hurricane. These men were focused on the mission.
“We had a really great team effort and a 16-second gap from our one through five runners,” men’s distance coach Brad Herbster said. “Junior Ethan Lipham put himself in it and just stuck in earning his first all-conference spot. Redshirt junior Chase Burrell had a big day being in the top five. Redshirt senior Calbert Guest just returned and did a great job leading the two freshmen, Thomas Wlazlowski and Henry Stark, to a top-10 finish along with graduate student Ethan Turner.”
Lipham led the Mountaineers, stopping the clock at 24:40.60 to finish fourth overall. Following close behind was Burrell, finished at 24:47.20 to place fifth, and Guest, at 24:55.20.
The first freshman to cross the finish line was Stark, completing the course in 24:56.40 to record a personal-best time and a seventh-place result. Wlazlowski followed, placing eighth with a time of 24:56.90. Rounding out the top 10 was Turner, who recorded a time of 25:02.10.
“We faced a lot of challenges this fall with roster changes, sickness, some injury setbacks and the hurricane,” Herbster said. “The men stayed focused and earned back-to-back championships in a true team fashion. I want to thank our director of track & field/cross country, Damion McLean, for the support and the entire staff. I want to thank our director of athletics, Doug Gillin, and our senior associate athletics director, Erika Cheung, for attending and my wife for allowing me to put so much time into it. I’m proud of Coach (Annie) Richards and the women’s team and also want to extend my thanks to the Firetower Project for their support. Today was a true team effort.”
Freshmen Rowan Gwin and Aaron Kidd also competed for the Mountaineers, who finished 16 team points ahead of runner-up Arkansas State, which had the top two individual finishers but had its No. 3 runner place behind all five App State scorers. Arkansas State’s Jacon Pyeatt took the individual title with a time of 23:52.80.
Based on his performance, Stark was named the Sun Belt’s Freshman of the Year.
WOMEN’S RECAP
The App State women clinched the team title with 45 points, a whopping 61 fewer than runner-up Arkansas State’s total of 106, and saw four Mountaineers finish in the top 15 to earn all-conference accolades.
All fall, this group has been hardworking and trailblazing — and now they are champions.
“Winning a championship requires an entire team,” App State women’s distance coach Annie Richards said. “This fall, our whole roster helped push the eight women who competed today toward achieving this goal. Our win today is symbolic of what can happen when we all work hard together. Our approach going into competition today was to run to our strengths and compete the way that works best for our team, which meant building toward a fast finish and packing up with teammates. I am incredibly proud of this group of women. All season, this group has been hardworking and trailblazing, and now they are champions.”
Senior Jasmine Donohue, who placed third overall, was the first Mountaineer to cross the finish line with a personal-best 5K time of 17:18.85. Fellow seniors Lauren Johnston and Emma Russum clocked times of 17:43.92 and 17:46.34 to finish sixth and seventh, respectively. Senior Lana Farris finished 13th with a time of 18:01.82, and Breanna Budzinski rounded out the scoring for App State by being the first freshman across the finish line, leading to a Freshman of the Year honor from the Sun Belt. She placed 16th with a time of 18:14.25.
Senior Catherine Breault (17th) and sophomore Rhys Ammon (19th) gave App State seven finishers in the top 20. Karsyn Kane also competed for the Mountaineers.
“We have had unusual circumstances this fall with the impact and aftermath of Hurricane Helene,” Richards said. “This made a victory today more special because I know the team wanted to represent our community back home. I especially appreciated the support or our director, Coach McLean, and our director of athletics, Doug Gillin, and senior associate athletics director Erika Cheung, who all were at the course today cheering and supporting our team. Sweeping the men’s and women’s race alongside Coach Herbster was a huge accomplishment, and it’s great that our team shared in the wins.”
Marshall’s Kylee Mastin used a strong final kick to win the women’s individual crown with a 5K time of 17:06.43.
The App State sweep occurred 35 days after Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina, causing widespread damage to areas that include Boone and Watauga County.
“Please as a community do not forget about the people impacted by the hurricane and the continued support they need in western North Carolina,” Herbster said. “Sending the trophies back up the mountain is important, and if it can make people smile for a moment, we are proud of that.”
Up Next
The NCAA Southeast Regional is slated for Nov. 15 and will hosted by Winthrop in Rock Hill, S.C.
Men’s Team Standings
- App State – 30 points
- Arkansas State – 46 points
- South Alabama – 100 points
- ULM – 115 points
- Texas State – 119 points
- Marshall – 159 points
- Louisiana – 163 points
- Coastal Carolina – 189 points
- Troy – 264 points
App State All-Conference Honorees
- First Team – Ethan Lipham
- First Team – Chase Burrell
- Second Team – Calbert Guest
- Second Team – Henry Stark
- Second Team – Thomas Wlazlowski
- Second Team – Ethan Turner
- Freshman of the Year – Henry Stark
- Elite Award – Chase Burrell
Women’s Team Standings
- App State – 45 points
- Arkansas State – 106 points
- Marshall – 115 points
- Coastal Carolina – 129 points
- Texas State – 130 points
- Louisiana – 132 points
- James Madison – 136 points
- Southern Miss – 172 points
- South Alabama – 194 points
- Troy – 296 points
- ULM – 308 points
- Georgia Southern – 322 points
- Georgia State – 381 points
App State All-Conference Honorees
- First Team -Jasmine Donohue
- Second Team – Lauren Johnston
- Second Team – Emma Russum
- Third Team – Lana Farris
- Freshman of the Year – Breanna Budzinski
FULL INDIVIDUAL AND TEAM RESULTS
